Picturesque Nepal . ial are laid and fall ininnumerable folds, making a voluminous andunwieldy garment which oscillates with everymovement of the wearer. Felt slippers of somegaudy colour peep from underneath this weirdcontrivance, but the crowning achievementis the elaboration of the hair. The naturalinclination with respect to this feature is topart it at the front and bind it at the back,but the national method of the Nepali womenis nothing if not original, and is accordinglythe exact reverse of the expected. It is partedat the back above the nape of the neck anddressed in the front, formin
Picturesque Nepal . ial are laid and fall ininnumerable folds, making a voluminous andunwieldy garment which oscillates with everymovement of the wearer. Felt slippers of somegaudy colour peep from underneath this weirdcontrivance, but the crowning achievementis the elaboration of the hair. The naturalinclination with respect to this feature is topart it at the front and bind it at the back,but the national method of the Nepali womenis nothing if not original, and is accordinglythe exact reverse of the expected. It is partedat the back above the nape of the neck anddressed in the front, forming over the foreheadthe regulation donkey fringe associatedwith the late Victorian period in the East the top, between the parting and thefringe, is carried a wreath of red artificialflowers, like a tiara. Add to this a heavilypowdered face, eyes outlined with black, andlips touched with vermilion, a pair of tortoise-shell-rimmed goggles, and the picture is com-plete. Parties of these women pass at irregular. < c o c ^ X rt i_ u OJ 3 p •^ H E ^ 0) z 5 ** o jj OS g ?a a: a o o := r; THE BATHERS 91 intervals, adding to the colour scintillating inthe rippling water, and, stooping to drink fromthe sacred stream, or perform the ordinaryceremony of throwing in flowers to be carriedaway by the current, they resemble a gardenof gay blossoms. Up the steep steps of thetemple their forms wobble like tired balloons,a gust of music stirs the air as they enter, aring of sweet sounding bells, and their headsmay be seen above a parapet as they passalong an ambulatory. From here it is usualto throw a handful of small coin into the holywaters underneath, which is speedily scrambledfor by lusty loungers on the temple visitor to the shrine goes throughexactly the same religious routine, and passesout through another doorway into the street. But below, the gay crowd comes and splash about in the shallow stream orsport on the stone steps. The sun kissesthe gilt pi
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Keywords: ., bookcentury1900, bookdecade1910, bookidpicturesquen, bookyear1912
